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KXAN has reported that a coach was arrested for sexual abuse and suspended from working at the Platinum Gymnastics Academy located at 3813A Helios Way #170, Pflugerville, TX 78660.
Despite 40-year-old Eugene 'Gene' Martinez turning himself into the police in May, the USA Gymnastics member has continued to coach at the Pflugerville gym. Parents were outraged to learn six months after his arrest in October that three women had accused him of sexual assault. Throughout the investigation by the USA Gymnastics Safe Sports organization, Martinez had access to various aged gymnasts. It wasn't until October 1, 2021, Martinez was suspended from having unsupervised contact with the gymnasts and fully suspended on October 8, following his second arrest.
The first woman alleged that on October 25, 2020, Martinez and his wife invited her to their home. After consuming too many alcoholic drinks, she stayed the night. She claimed Martinez came into the room, forcibly removed her clothing, and sexually assaulted her. She reported the incident to the Travis County Sheriff's Office on April 19, 2021.
The second victim reported that the abuse occurred in 2016, where she also became too intoxicated to leave after a visit to her then employer's home. She was carried to the spare room, where Martinez attempted to sexually assault her. She was able to fight him off and left as soon as he exited the room.
The third victim, also employed by Martinez, reported her abuse in September 2021. She claimed the assault took place in April 2016. Just like the others, she was too intoxicated to leave the Martinez home, so she opted to stay the night in their spare room. During her stay, Martinez allegedly sexually assaulted her during the night.
Attorney contributor Anjali Nigam represents sex abuse victims and their families in civil lawsuits. Recently we sat down with Anjali, and he shared some information regarding the legal options for victims sexually assaulted by a gymnastics coach to file a lawsuit.
"Gymnastics facilities are responsible for ensuring their students are safe from preventable dangers, including sexual predators. Sadly, predators can gain employment in athletic fields that work with children without proper safety procedures in place. Lately, there have been reports of coaches sexually abusing students and coworkers. Sports agencies are often tasked with regulating these gyms and athletic facilities. This includes maintaining that safety precautions such as background checks and misconduct investigations are being implemented. Failure to provide safety measures can result in the agency being held liable for abuse."
"When a coach is charged with sexual assault involving a coworker or student, officials should investigate both the coach and the school. It's crucial to determine if the abuse could have been prevented or if it happened due to the agency's negligence. This could include ignoring previous complaints of inappropriate behavior. In neglect cases, the victim and their family may have grounds for a lawsuit. Victims are urged to seek the guidance of an experienced sex abuse lawyer as there may be statutes of limitations regarding reporting."
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